Hollywood Classics : Full Metal Jacket

This is my favorite war movie (or should I say anti-war movie?) - a masterpiece by Kubrick. Actually, Full Metal Jacket is the most synthetic "Vietnam film" thus far. Kubrick's screenplay (co-written with novelists Gustav Hasford and Michael Herr) is an adaptation of Hasford's "The Short Timers" and Kubrick, who is not a veteran, ingested countless films, videotapes and books for background.

The movie was shot as two part story, where the first part is showing the Boot camp where US marines were getting trained to become killing machines, and second part is showing those killing machines doing the kill in lethal war of vietnam. You must be thinking, what's so great about this movie then? I will tell you. The movie's main theme is not to show the war, instead showing the psychological turmoil inside soildier's mind during his life as killing machine. This is narrated by Pvt Joker, who joined the US marines to become a soldier. The first half is about what he saw, what he did and how he handled the relationship with other fellow trainees, especially pvt Pyle (played by Vincent D'Onofrio). Pvt. "Gomer Pyle," was an overweight klutz (and the gunnery sergeant's favorite chewee) whom Joker must usher through training. Pyle suddenly discovers, with alarming zest, the joys of gunmanship. "Full Metal Jacket" -- gunspeak for bullet casings -- is one of the last things he talks about before making his last bloody move. D'onofrio's was the best performance in this movie. The shine in his eyes before pulling the trigger was so strange and scary that you would not believe until you see that yourself.

In the second part, the real war was shown where Pvt Joker was working as millitary correspondant, working with Eightball, Cowboy, Lt. Touchdown and, the most significant, Animal Mother. Animal Mother was also like 'Dim' of Clockwork Orange, ruthless killing machine, another close fellow, who died in front of Pvt Pyle. In the end he himself fall in such a situation where he becomes killer, may be not be a merciless killer, but a killer nonetheless.

The movie is very gripping, though it seems disjoint after first half, but very soon everything becomes clear and you can feel where the director is taking you. The war sets were very real and cinematography was good. Even In the dark hours of war, Kubrick has inserted some moments of humor, mostly black humor.

Movie is must watch for war movie lovers!! so if you liked Saving Private Ryan, Apocalypse Now, No Man's Land, Schindler's List etc., then go for it .